Allport's trait theory of personality.pptx

Allport's trait theory

1. ALLPORT’S TRAIT THEORY OF PERSONALITY By : Sree Lekshmi A MSC Psychology

2. GORDEN ALLPORT Born in Indiana , grew up in Cleveland Followed Floyd Allport ( social psychologist) Earned PhD from Harvard

3. Meeting with Freud was a turning point Delved too deep

4. Challenged psychoanalysis Personality is controlled by the unconscious Over emphasis on childhood Collecting data from abnormal personality

5. Personality traits Determine or cause behaviour

6. Uniqueness of personality Heredity Environment personality ( Genetic factor) (Social/cultural)

7. Two Distinct Personalities Childhood personality Traits develop Temperament Learning from environment Play and exploration Adulthood personality Stability and change Integration of traits

8. “ The dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristics behaviour and thought ” - Gorden Allport First trait theory was proposed by Gorden allport in 1936 .

9. Allport’s trait theory Emphasis on uniqueness of personality Conscious mind Psychologically healthy adults are unaffected by childhood events. Used lexical approach 2 types of traits Individual traits Common traits

10. Trait theory Revised the terminology He relabeled common traits as traits and individual traits as personal dispositions Personal disposition – Traits that are peculiar to an individual They are : Cardinal traits
Central traits
Secondary traits

11. Cardinal trait Dominant and rare Define a person One or two of these traits can be used to define an entire personality . Example: Mother Teresa ( kindness and goodness)

12. Central trait Building blocks of personality Not as dominant as cardinal Describing a person as – dumb ,smart ,self-confidence etc. Most people have 5 or 10 of these Too shy

13. Secondary trait Seen in certain situations only Preferences, attitudes, situational traits Example: fear of public speaking

14. Functional Autonomy Motives becomes independent of original experiences. Early life forces no longer control adult motivation . Adult motives cannot be understood solely through Childhood experiences. 2 levels Perseverative functional autonomy Propriate functional autonomy

15. Perseverative functional autonomy Habitual automatic behaviour Continues without any external reward Initial motivation Behavioural development Autonomous function

16. Propriate functional autonomy Essential to understand adult motivation. Relates to our values ,self-image, lifestyle ( self directed) Derived from “ proprium ” , Allport’s term for ego or self Unique to each individual.

17. Stages of proprium

18. Mature personality Extension of sense of self ( involvement) Warm relating to others ( trust, empathy, genuineness) Emotional security ( self- acceptance) Realistic perception ( They are problem oriented) Self- objectification ( insight or humour) Unifying philosophy of life ( sense of purpose, Believe and a goal in life). Allport’s term for mental health

19. Criticism

20. REFERENCE

21. Thank you